Screen notches are all the rage these days after Apple made them fashionable with the iPhone X. Devices from LG, OnePlus, and Huawei have all sported screen notches, and it looks like Google is up next. Several leaks have pointed to a rather large screen notch on the upcoming Pixel 3 XL. Previously we only had screen protectors about which to speculate. Now, there's a leaked device that purports to be (and most likely is) a prototype Pixel 3 XL. And yes, it has a big, honking notch.
There are two photos of this device, which you can see in all their glory above. On the front, there's a large screen notch up top with a pair of cameras. Unlike the iPhone, the Pixel 3 XL also has a substantial bit of bezel at the bottom. This is commonly (and one might say derisively) referred to as a chin. It gives the phone an awkward asymmetric quality. It looks eerily similar to the Essential Phone, with launched about a year ago.
The bootloader screen on the prototype seemingly confirms the codename "crosshatch," as well as 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Presumably, there will still be a 64GB base model.
On the back, there's still just a single camera. Google's 2017 Pixels only had one camera, and they still managed to be the best mobile shooters available. Still, it's strange to see Google embrace some smartphone trends while ignoring others. The back also looks like a single panel with a different finish on the top and bottom sections. Past Pixels have had a glass insert at the top of a metal frame. This time, I'd bet on an all-glass enclosure with an abrasive finish on the bottom section.
Google is expected to announce the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL in October of this year. While we haven't seen a real photo of the smaller Pixel 3, the XL seems to be a good match for the previous leaks. So, hopefully the small Pixel will provide a non-notch alternative.
